Japanese seasonal themes are displayed the elaborate hair ornaments of Kyoto's maiko (apprentice geisha), whose complex kisetsubana adornments show not only the time of year but also the wearer's rank and skill level. This seasonality is not restrictive. There are a wealth of small variations- colour, size, and arrangement- which make each individual piece interesting.

This section is for my recreations of these styles for each month and the flowers they feature. The terms used for each kanzashi are not necessarily the proper names, just what I call 'em; however, I have tried to supply Japanese terms- and technical plant names in case you wish to look up the real-life equivalents- when possible.

Currently this is an incomplete list, and I am adding kanzashi as they are made. I don't have one for every month yet. If there's a flower missing, it's probably under construction.
(This is not intended as a guide to other aspects of maiko costume, hair, lifestyle etc.)



Glossary